1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a printed product including an image with visual effects wherein the image is obtained by conventional photographic techniques and more particularly the invention refers to a printed product and a method for obtaining visual or optical effects in a printed product containing an image preferably obtained by one or more photographic exposures, pictures, TV image, etc., wherein the image is affected by visual effects providing different views from different positions of the viewer, as well as different depths of field, light intensities, bright intensities, and other visual perceptions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art to provide visual effects in images printed on sheets and plates as well as several kinds of back supports. For example, it is known to print photographic images on transparent sheets or supports generally used for public advertisements, such as the ones known as back-light advertisements. These exhibiting devices consist essentially of a close box including inner fluorescent lamps and a front translucent plate including a photographic image wherein the image is enhanced by the back lights causing the image to be more attractive to the viewer without providing, however, any visual special effect.
Other techniques employ photographic cities images generally taken during the night and the public lights of the streets are enhanced by light emitting components that are electrically fed and strategically located.
The holography is another well known technique to provide an image with visual or optical effects. The holography consists of recording several images by means of photographic tridimensional negatives for obtaining a tridimensional effect. For this purpose, during the photographic shot, the coherent-wave light beams named xe2x80x9claser beamsxe2x80x9d are bifurcated, wherein one of the partial beams, called the reference wave, directly impinges onto a holographic plate with the remaining part of the beams impinging over the photographed object and reflecting onto the holographic plate. Due to the different paths traveled by the beams the waves are off-set from each other therefore neutralizing or reinforcing between each other when converging onto the holographic plate. As a result of an interference spectrum is obtained for each point of the photographed object. When the holographic plate is revealed the printed object is affected by a tridimensional aspect the perception of which varies according to the angular position from which the printed support is observed.
The reproduction of holographic images is very expensive because of the equipment, materials and laboratory processes that are involved therein. In addition, the printed final product is generally obtained in small sizes.
It would be therefore convenient to have a printed product containing images that can be viewed under special visual or optical effects in a variety of sizes and back supports without requiring special and costly equipment and materials.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a new method for obtained a printed product such as a photography, a brochure, a pamphlet and the like containing an image wherein the image is affected by visual or optical effects when viewed by a viewer or observer, wherein the process is carried out without requiring of special and costly photographic equipment, laboratory materials, special illumination or techniques.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a printed product containing one or more images wherein the images are provided with special visual or optical effects when viewed by an observer, wherein the printed product may be obtained without size restrictions, with images taken in indoor or outdoor spaces.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a printed product and a method for obtaining the same, wherein the product is enhanced by light characteristics not achieved heretofore, with the product being also provided with tridimensional sensation according to at least two focus fields that can be defined as an image focus depending on the characteristics of the taken photographic image, and a bright focus that is located in the same plane that the image focus. The particular conception of the printed images creates multiple visions when the viewer or observer moves relative to the photographic plane thus perceiving different light densities and intensities of the photographed object, preferably with higher reflection of the room light.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a printed product including an image with visual effects and a method for obtaining the printed product, the method comprising providing a photographic image, printing the image on a front transparent sheet and adhering the transparent sheet to a light-reflecting front surface of a back support sheet for providing a visual effect resulting from the combination of the light-reflecting surface and the image.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a printed product obtained by the above mentioned method, the product comprising a front transparent sheet provided with a photographic image and a back support sheet having a front surface with at least part of the front surface being light-reflective, wherein said transparent sheet is adhered on said front surface of the support sheet and both the at least partially light-reflective front surface of the support sheet and the transparent sheet containing the printed image are combined for providing a visual effect.
It is even another object of the present invention to provide a method for obtaining a printed image with visual effects, the method comprising providing a photographic image; printing the image on a front transparent sheet; providing a back support sheet having a front surface with at least part of the front surface being light-reflective; and adhering said transparent sheet onto said front surface, wherein both the at least partially light-reflective front surface and the image printed on the transparent sheet are combined for providing a visual effect.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and description.